Fried Chicken and Collard Greens
Barbecue Pit, Courtesy of the New York Public Library
September is National Chicken Month. We share this story today to inform our readers on the history of fried chicken and how it has played a major role in shaping American cuisine.
When doing research for my book Hog and Hominy, I found that fried chicken and collard greens have long associations with black folks and religion dating back to West and Central Africa. Sources dated before the 1800s show that Mande women from West Africa batter frying chicken. Commonly they served chicken together with collard greens and dumplings. The African-American practice of eating chicken on special occasions is also a West Africanism that survived the African slave trade. Among the Igbo, Hausa, and Mande, poultry was eaten on special occasions as part of religious ceremonies. During the antebellum period enslaved African only had time to make fried chicken and sides dishes such as collard greens, corn bread, baked or candied sweet potatoes or yams, and fried okra among others on Sundays. Masters gave their slaves off on Sundays and on few holidays and religious days.
Collard Green Recipe
Serves 6
Ingredients
3 Bunches of Collards
3 Cubes of Vegetable Bullion
Bay Leaves
Red Pepper
Vinegar
Honey
Chopped Onions
Garlic
Ham Hock/Salt Pork/Meat Alternative
Salt
Method
Wash the collards good in plenty of slightly salted water
Start out with 3 bunches which will serve 6 people, they are big bug the cook down like spinach. I steam mine in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes until the fibrous leaves are easy to eat. Steaming preserves the water soluble vitamins that are killed when you just boil the greens down like most of my ancestors have done for years. Remove the collards from the pressure cooker and save the water to make the pot-licker. Season the water with 3 cubes of vegetable bullion, dried bay leaf, dried red pepper flakes, little vinegar, and some honey. Had a little liquid smoke which most grocery stores sell if you like that smoked meat flavor (the traditional recipe calls for a smoked ham hock or a hunk of smoked fat back). The pot-licker is full of vitamins and great seasoning for the greens Sauté the steamed greens with chopped onions and garlic in olive oil with your preferred seasonings like pepper, salt, etc.Add sautéed greens to the pot-licker and let them marinate for 30 or more before serving
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